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Setting weight loss goals

As we get closer and closer to the end of the year a lot of you are thinking about their New Year’s Resolutions. Here’s some statistics from 2014 that we should bear in mind:

-1 in 3 people gave up on their New Year’s Resolutions by the end of January due to being too busy, or not committed enough-66% of people have a fitness goal as part of their resolutions-73% of people gave up their goal completely before meeting their goals.-People who have given up on their resolutions have failed 4 times before.-Men are slightly more successful at their goals than women are especially when it comes down to fitness(http://www.details.com/blogs/daily-details/2013/12/new-years-resolutions-by-the-numbers.html)

Don’t get caught up in these patterns! There are several strategies to be aware of when setting New Year’s resolutions to ensure long term success. Let’s be “SMART” about it while using that acronym which stands for:

1)Measurable-A lot of people have the goal of “I want to lose weight” with nothing to go off of. You need something to measure it by so that you can understand whether or not you are reaching your goal. Inches, pounds, etc. You can track your progress weekly, biweekly, monthly to see if what you are doing is working.

2)Accountable-Most of the responsibility is in your hands. Keeping track of progress, or writing it down in a journal and own up to your mistakes when they happen to make sure you don’t fall back into old habits.

3)Realistic-Everyone can make goals such as “I want to be a millionaire by next month” can seem impossible and in most cases unattainable and quite discouraging. Try setting goals which do seem possible to do. Examples would be I want to lose 1lb every week this month for a total of 4lbs a month.

4)Timeframe-Give yourself a timeframe for which you want to reach your goal. The original goal of “I want to lose weight” has no boundaries and you can’t justify with anything. “I want to lose 1lbs a week for the next for 4 months with a total of 16lbs by April” would be a SMART goal to shoot for.

Don’t be like the 73% of people who have given up on their goals before they even got anywhere close to it. This is your year. Believe in yourself and once you are consistent with it the results will show. Your goal will be reach before you will even know it.

Northwest Wellness's Blog

Useful information for a healthy lifestyle.

It is fairly well know that when you have an injury to your skin, muscles or joints your body produces an inflammatory response. This biochemical reaction is designed to wall off the area of injury, clean out the damaged tissue and direct replacement of new tissue. What isn’t commonly known is that inflammation also occurs on a cellular level and is a significant contributing factor to many chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Fortunately, most of this inflammation can be controlled through proper diet and supplementation. A healthy anti-inflammatory diet consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, whole grains and healthy oils. Processed foods and refined carbohydrates should be eliminated from your daily routine.

Refined carbohydrate foods influence the inflammatory process. In the body, chemical reactions between the sugars and proteins produce pro-inflammatory compounds called AGEs (advanced glycation end products). You can moderate this process by keeping blood sugar low and stable by eating foods with a low glycemic index. That means eating less bread, white potatoes, crackers, chips and other snack foods, pastries, and sweetened drinks, less refined and processed foods, and by avoiding fast foods and products made with high fructose corn syrup. Instead, eat more whole grains, beans, sweet potatoes, winter squashes and other vegetables and temperate fruits such as berries, cherries, apples, and pears instead of tropical fruits such as bananas, pineapple, mango and papaya.

The anti-inflammatory diet gives you a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Most people consume an excess of omega-6 fatty acids from which the body synthesizes hormones that promote inflammation. These fats are found in oil-rich seeds and the oils extracted from them, which are used in almost all snack foods and fast foods. Omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect and are found in oily fish, walnuts and flax. In addition it is important to eliminate the consumption of margarine, vegetable shortening and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils - all of which promote inflammation.

While it is always best to eat healthy foods, taking supplements can also reduce inflammation and promote good health. Omega 3s, ginger, turmeric may all be taken in capsule form. In addition drink plenty of water and green tea which also reduce inflammation.

For more information about improving your health and nutrition contact Northwest Wellness in Federal Way, WA.